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Description

How do you make a car that is fast approaching its 50th birthday look sleek, modern, and totally up-to-date? You give it a makeover like this 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle received. Oh, don't worry, there's still big block horsepower underneath, but the gorgeous silver paint, the slick-shifting 4-speed gearbox, and a perfect stance make a strong argument for refusing to act your age.

You could get silver paint back in 1966, but nothing that looked like this spectacular iridescent metallic paint job on this Chevelle. It looks like the entire car was carved out of an ingot of aluminum, accentuating the Chevelle's muscular stance without over-doing it. It's nicely done with few signs of use and the shine is miles deep thanks to two-stage paint. The shine appears to have been professionally buffed, and the unaltered factory bodywork wears the silver finish exceptionally well. They even kept the original hood, with its cool chrome inserts that somehow add to the car's low-key, high-tech look. All the stainless trim shines up nicely and there's SS badging where it belongs. You'll also find crossed-flag emblems on the front fenders advertising that a 427 might live inside (it's a 396, but who's checking?), as well as the requisite "Super Sport" badges on the quarter panels. This car totally nails the look, beautifully blending vintage and modern without a misstep.

The interior has a very stock look, although you'll quickly see that it has upgrades where it matters. Black bucket seats aren't factory-issue but have a vintage vibe and wear GM-style vinyl upholstery. New door panels, a fresh set of black carpets, and a center console all dress things up, and the three-spoke steering wheel is a familiar GM performance item that we've admired for years. The gauges are original and fully functional, with a set of auxiliary dials in the dash, replacing the original radio. A Hurst shifter with a cue ball knob means you can hammer your shifts without worrying about missing third gear and we've always loved the way that clock looks perched on the front of the console like that. The trunk isn't detailed, but it does have matching silver paint with a protective coating underneath, as well as a rubber mat that keeps it looking tidy.

The engine is a rebuilt and nicely detailed 396 cubic inch V8 topped by an Edelbrock intake manifold and a Holley double-pumper 4-barrel carb. Aluminum heads shave precious poundage and it's neatly dressed with some chrome bits that give it a proper performance look. Wiring and plumbing are neatly installed so that they stay virtually out of sight and it's been upgraded with a modern dual-reservoir power master cylinder for the front disc brakes. Long-tube headers feed a new dual exhaust system with a great bark to it, and the tail pipes exit right behind the rear wheels. The floors are quite clean although the underside of the car isn't detailed for show, and the stance is exactly right. Some of that comes from choosing the right suspension bits, but some comes from those Weld wheels and staggered 215/65/15 front and 255/60/15 rear performance radials.

Very well built, tastefully upgraded, and just a blast to drive, this Chevelle gets everything exactly right. It's one of those cars that you can show easily but it works so well, you'll be too busy driving it to worry about trophies. Call today!